Study Sessions
by Kae-sama
Summary: When the other girls are too busy to help Minako with her upcoming exams, Rei agrees to tutor her. While the two have always been close, something happens during a power outage that initiates a closer bond. Shoujo-Ai themes.
1. Chapter 1: First Flame

Study Sessions: A Minako and Rei fanfiction

Hi guys! I know it's been half a decade since I've posted ANYTHING. To whoever was reading my Inuyasha fic, I'm sure you've long forgotten about it, though if you haven't, I probably will not pick it back up. I may **re-write **it, but my writing style has changed significantly, and I just don't think I can pick up where I left off. SO. This story is a **completely** **different** **route**. Sailor Moon, for the first time. Shoujo-Ai, which I'm posting for the first time. If this isn't your sort of story, TURN BACK NOW. And for you newcomers, welcome! It's nice to have you

Disclaimer: No characters belong to me, only the idea.

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><p>Chapter One: First Flame<p>

Long, slender fingers impatiently tapped against a dark wooden table, only stopping every few minutes for the girl to glance at the slim, crimson watch perfectly placed on her ivory wrist. Rei was not known for her ability to wait on others. Minako, on the other hand, was always notoriously late. Today was one of those typical days for the two of them. It was supposed to be a study session for just the two of them. Ami was busy with cram school, and Usagi was at Makoto's place learning how to bake something new to impress Mamoru. Rei was not partial to joining in the study groups (usually led by Ami) but Minako begged Rei as a last resort, and insisted that she needed help on her upcoming test. The young miko reluctantly agreed.

A low grumble was starting to form in the young woman's throat, but was cut short by the loud *CLANG* of her door being slid open by rushing hands. Sharp, violet eyes quickly shot up to meet bright blue ones in a moment of silence. "You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago," Rei said, a crisp tone lining her voice. Her fingers continued to rat against the table as she brought the other hand up to support her chin. Turning a cheek from the Venusian, she glared out of the impeccably clean window focusing on a bird outside; waiting for an apology she knew would shortly follow.

The leggy blonde quietly slid the door shut behind her and bowed repeatedly. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, Rei-chaaaaan! It's just, on the way here I passed this adorable new shop that recently opened. We should go after we finish studying!" Minako clasped her hands together and cocked her head to the side in an effort to look cute and persuade Rei. Her attempts were met with a fiery glare, and her smile slowly tugged into a pout.

"Don't give me that look," Rei said with a sigh, bringing her tapping fingers up to her forehead to massage it. Minako plopped down on the floor beside her friend and gently touched her shoulder. "I really am sorry, Rei-chan," the girl glanced up at the mentioning of her name, "It just looked like a place that you'd like, so I had to stick my nose in and look around a bit. I wanted to tell you about it is all."

Rei's hard expression softened slightly and she brought both hands to rest in her lap. Minako waited for the blast, but it never came. Instead, she heard giggling. Eyes opened wide at the sight, and for a moment she wondered if her dear friend had gone mad. Rei subsided quickly though, and regained her composure, swiftly tucking a lock of raven hair behind her ear and almost blushing at her own outburst. Minako leaned forward on her hands and knees and lifted a curious hand to Rei's forehead. "Are you okay, Rei-chan?"

The Martian stiffened at the contact. "I'm fine. It's just while I was waiting for you, I was thinking of all of the ridiculous things you potentially would have been distracted by. Boys, the arcade, an ice cream stand…Not once did I think it would be, in your own way, for my sake. So I guess I owe you an apology as well." A small, yet kind smile graced her lips before quickly disappearing and tugging down as she looked back down at the notes spread out in front of her. "I don't mind going and checking it out, but we have to get this studying done first, understood?" Minako simply bobbed her head in acknowledgment. "Now, what exactly is it that you're having trouble with?" Rei asked.

"Um…" The lack of response caused the assigned tutor to raise a perfectly arched eyebrow at the girl shifting awkwardly on her legs next to her. Minako chewed on her bottom lip and scratched her head before nervously laughing. "Actually, none of it makes any sense to me," she said, sporting a Cheshire grin.

"Have you even bothered to take out your textbook outside of your classroom? What do you mean NONE of it makes sense? Has Usagi-chan's lethargic behavior rubbed off on you or something?" Rei flared, slamming a hand on the notes. Minako winced and cringed notably at her hot tempered friend's reaction. Now was not the time to mention that she doesn't even open her textbook inside of the classroom. English just was not her strong suit, unlike Rei, who seemed to learn all of her subjects with ease. Although Ami is noted for being the brains of the gang, Rei was right behind her in terms of intelligence. Maybe it was that private school education.

Rei was mumbling to herself as she flitted through her notes, picking out pages here and there, adding to the collection of topics she felt needed to be discussed and reviewed. "Rei-chan," Minako started, pausing to form her question in a way that wouldn't result in her getting yelled at again. "How is it that you and Ami-chan do so good in school and the rest of us don't? Even when we study, we never score as high as you two."

"It is how do we _'do well in school'_. And I don't really have a direct answer for you. Ami-chan obviously studies relentlessly to achieve being the top student. As for myself, I like to dedicate myself to anything I do. I don't believe in doing things half-heartedly, and that includes my studies." Rei organized the stacks of notes, grabbing the first stack and handing it to Minako, who still seemed to be in her own world. The blonde was pondering over what her friend had just told her. It made sense, and described Rei to a T. Maybe it has nothing to do with a private education and more to do with Rei as a person. Her passion and dedication was a trait Minako had always admired.

"Now," Rei's voice cut through Minako's train of thought, "We'll start with some simple proverbs. They'll help you with your English words and understanding sentence structure."

Minako gingerly picked up the personalized notes sitting on the table in front of her. Rei had gone through and highlighted key points, and drawn lines to small, even further detailed notes off to the side of the sheets. Warmth slowly crept into her cheeks and she jerked her chin up to catch Rei's eyes. "You did all of this for me?" Minako asked, as her blue orbs widened and teared up in acknowledgement of the time and effort that Rei must have put in to helping her out. There were pages full of little notes and encouragement.

Rei simply straightened her back tossed her hair over her shoulder in an attempt to appear indifferent. "It's nothing. I figured it would make this process go by quicker and it would save us some time. Speaking of, didn't you want to go shopping after this? Let's get to work," she said, not succeeding at sounding nearly as chastising as Ami.

As Minako asked countless questions and Rei impatiently answered each and every one, the sky outside progressively grew darker and the clouds grew heavier. About an hour in to their review, rain began tapping on the window, and both girls took notice of the angry weather outside.

"Aww, man. Looks like we aren't going shopping today," Minako sighed, obviously unhappy that she wouldn't have the chance to take Rei to the newly discovered shop. Silently, she cursed the gods and wondered how long the nasty weather would last. She looked at the round clock on Rei's wall and groaned at the time. "How long do you think it'll rain like this?"

Rei rapped the table with the pencil in her hand. "It doesn't matter; we haven't even reached the halfway point in these notes. We're almost there. Worry more about your studies than the time and weather." She was just as ready to get this over with as Minako was. Not that she minded helping her friend out. Secretly, she was curious to go check out the shop as well. She enjoyed her one-on-one time with Minako more than the other girls. While the Venetian could be immature, and a bit of an egotist at times, she was also capable of being extremely mature and insightful. Where the other girls failed to read Rei's emotions and behaviors, Minako succeeded.

"Actually, you know what?" Rei stood up from her spot on the floor and stretched her legs and arms, placing her hands on her hips once her stiffness had worked its way out. "Let's take a break. Are you hungry or anything?" She slid her door open, motioning for her partner to follow.

Minako perked up at the mentioning of food. "What kind of snacks do you have?" She asked, almost too enthusiastically, quickly scampering to her feet to trot after the raven-haired beauty down the narrow hallway leading to the kitchen.

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head upon entering the Hino kitchen. It was much more spacious than she imagined. Rei caught the other girl's reaction, and had to hold back a giggle threatening to surface. "I know it's just me and gramps here right now, but our family has offered shelter and a place to stay and eat for many years," her dark eyes swept over the gracious floor space and meticulously clean counter tops before laughing and adding, "I guess somewhere along the line they thought they might as well have a kitchen big enough to feed everyone who passed through."

A full hearted laugh escaped Minako. "Everyone who passed through, huh? I guess that means me, too!" She began to dance and spin around on the vast smooth floors, letting her imagination take her to a grand ballroom as her skirt flared and flew about. She grabbed Rei's slender wrist in one of her twists, locking eyes with her as she did so. Without even speaking, she was insisting the Martian dance with her. The glint in Minako's eyes sent a quick shiver up the startled girl's spine. She didn't verbally protest, however, she did roll her eyes. The other girl let out another laugh as they both waltzed around the room, momentarily forgetting about studying, shopping and food.

A clash of thunder startled both girls and they crashed into each other, followed by an eerie sound of electricity wavering throughout the house. They had a split second to face each other and graze noses before the house fell into a stormy blackness.

A flash of lightening showered the sky as another roll of thunder arrived with it simultaneously. "Rei-chan," Minako yelped, grabbing at her companion's shirt, her eyes refusing to adapt to the darkness. Evidently, she was the only one of the two who wasn't partial to stormy weather. Boy, would Makoto get a laugh out of this, Minako couldn't help but think.

Rei pulled away from her frantic friend a fraction. "I'm going to find a flashlight or a candle. Hold on a minute." She put her hand on the other young woman's shoulder reassuringly. As she lifted the hand to turn and leave, the blonde grasped it tightly. "Don't just leave me here alone! I don't like it," Minako whispered. A bright blush lit up Rei's cheeks at the fingers interwoven with her own.

In the darkness between them, briefly, some sort of light sparked. Before either girl could focus on the source of light, lightening filled the room again and the lights flickered back on.

The two young women stood in the middle of the kitchen motionless. "Candles," Rei whispered, pulling her hand away from Minako's, "I'll go grab some candles before the lights go out again. I'll be right back." She quickly turned her back to the blonde still frozen with her hand slightly outstretched, which she slowly let fall to her side.

What was that? A spark. Electrical? We must have shocked each other. Rei let the questions and her own answers roll through her conscience as she quietly made her way down the corridor. Her mind didn't have long to wonder before she heard the restless Venusian's voice attempting to reach her.

"Don't forget to feed me!" Minako yelled after the miko tauntingly. Rei was halfway down the hall, but heard the playful demand. She quickly grabbed as many candles as she could carry and sauntered back into the kitchen, where she found her friend head first in the refrigerator.

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><p>Well, this was shorter than I wanted it to be, but it's a start. Especially considering how long it's been since I've written a story like this (stories with two characters make me feel like I'm redundantly addressing them, so I'm sorry!). Anyway, read and review. This is a project I plan on finishing, so I promise I will update (maybe not on a weekly basis due to school and work, but updates will happen).<p>

Until next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2: Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat

Hello again! I'm working on this during my breaks between classes (since I don't feel like doing homework right now). I want to get this story up and on its feet, so here goes round two! Enjoy~

Disclaimer: No characters belong to me, only the idea.

Chapter Two: Curiosity Didn't Kill the Cat

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><p>"Minako-chan, I was coming right back. You aren't starving, are you?"<p>

A blonde head made a rough impact with a cold shelf as the girl jumped at the mocking voice behind her. She rubbed the newly developing lump on her noggin as she backed away from the refrigerator, shooting a perfected pout in the humored teen's direction. "It's a good thing I'm not," Minkako mumbled. "There's nothing IN this thing!" She waved a dainty hand at the guilty kitchen appliance before crossing her arms in a defeated huff.

Rei was pointedly ignoring the Venetian's rant as she clattered about the opposite counter. Minako cocked her head to the side in an attempt to see what the other young woman was doing. Tip-toing across the empty space, she snuck up behind her friend and stuck her nose over a slim shoulder.

"Onigiri?"

The question was simply answered with a nod. There were no further inquiries, and Minako plopped herself on a nearby stool and watched quietly as the Aries perfectly formed the rice snack in her hands. The silence between the two was comfortable; Minako could have fallen asleep if she wasn't so entranced with the fluid finger work of her friend. Whenever she attempted to make the balls of rice, they never came out looking right. "It's like being a kid again and watching my mom," she mused.

"Hmm?" Rei's focused eyes moved to her companion, not catching what the girl had mumbled to herself.

"When I was younger," Minako started, tracing imaginary patterns on the countertop, "my mom would make onigiri for me regularly. She was a stay at home mom then. She got a job about halfway through middle school and had less time to do stuff like making snacks and lunches." She stopped with her patterns and drew both hands in her lap, leaning forward on the stool. "So I told her not to bother with my food anymore. Besides, I was old enough to make my own and all." Her eyes softened and turned down to the hands clasped tightly in her skirt. "Let's just say that time in my life was the beginning of our poor relationship. And I've never been good in the kitchen, so it's not like I could ask her for help," she said with a forced laugh.

Blue eyes lifted to be reflected in compassionate, violet pools, and then drew down to an outstretched hand holding an umeboshi filled onigiri. "Not that I'm great in the kitchen myself," Rei said slowly, "but when you come over to study, I can promise you will have snacks made for you."

Minako beamed at the raven haired girl and accepted the snack. Rei felt warmth bubbling in her chest and hastily added with an upturn of her nose, "Not that I mean anything special by that. It's just…someone like you studying on an empty stomach…it seems you won't pay proper attention."

The blonde laughed at Rei's quick defense. "Rei-chan, you do know it's okay to be nice once in a while. You don't have to be so stiff all of the time," she teased, leaning forward to accept the food and playfully slap her friend's knee.

Rei instinctively straightened her back at the accusation of being called "stiff", and shot the offending teen a warning glare. "I am not stiff," she retorted. "Anyway, let's eat quickly so we can get back to studying. We still have quite a bit to finish up with, and I won't go easy on you."

The girls cleaned the shared plate silently and resumed the tutoring session. Rei was more patient than Minako originally gave her credit for. However, she could tell it took a lot of effort on the miko's behalf. She couldn't help but laugh at the fiery-tempered youth, who rolled her eyes when told such things. The energetic girl had way too much fun picking on the Martian, who earnestly attempted to keep a ladylike disposition throughout the teasing.

Once Minako felt she was at a comfortable stopping point, she decided it was time to leave. She didn't want to impose and hold Rei up from her later duties at the shrine, so she bid her farewells for the evening and started home. The two girls agreed to meet over the weekend to finish the worksheets Rei had created. Although the blonde appreciated the help, she wasn't really looking forward to spending even the slightest amount of her weekend on schoolwork.

The storm from earlier had passed. A faint breeze danced around the trees, sprinkling remnants of rain on Minako's shoulders. She slowed in her pace, not in any particular hurry to head back to her usually empty house. She paused in her path and decided to change route and head to the arcade to kill some time.

With a sling of crisp, navy sailor skirt and sunshine blonde hair, she spun on the ball of her foot and trotted to the familiar haven. As the automatic glass door slid open, she immediately caught sight of a familiar form in the seat of her favorite racing game. The tall, confident, and graceful figure was quite distinguishable. "Haruka-cha~an!" She chirped, catching the older girl's attention.

"Hey, how's it going?" Haruka's lean form shifted as she crawled out of the game seat to face the shorter girl properly.

"Great! I just left Rei-chan's. Figured I'd stop by here on my way home," the happy teen explained.

Haruka chuckled at her friend's nearly always apparent enthusiasm before asking how Rei was doing. This simple question, however, was offered no reply. Instead, she couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at the curious expression she was met with. "Is something wrong?"

Minako chewed on her lip and furrowed her brows momentarily. "I wonder…" she said, more to herself it seemed, than to the confused woman in front of her. "How did…how did you know? With Michiru-san, I mean."

Haruka blinked several times before replying, leaning against a nearby arcade game. "That we were partners?"

The Venusian shook her head quickly, "No, that you were…well…you know…" She fiddled with her slim fingers. Momentarily, she wondered if she could take the awkwardly-phrased question back.

"What? That I wanted to be with her?" The older girl prompted. The question was answered with a single, sharp nod. "Hm. I can't really pinpoint when or what it was. I just knew, I guess. She knew before I did, I think. You know how intuitive she is." Haruka laughed and her eyes seemed to be looking past the glass door to a memory far outside. "But that helped. We were friends, so we knew each other fairly well, and she was patient with me. It was easier with things being that way." She cast her eyes down to Minako, who seemed to be heavily mulling over something.

"Did you feel like, a spark?" Haruka's eyes widened again at the forwardness of Minako's questions. Not that the younger girl was shy by any means. Usually she asked prying or odd question with no shame and beaming eyes. This reserved mannerism being displaying was not what Haruka was accustomed to.

"I suppose," the older girl laughed, "sometimes I still do." She brushed some sandy blonde hair from her face. "You must have a crush," she teased, hopefully diverting the attention away from her own love life. The elder girl never enjoyed sharing her personal affairs with others like most females do. She found it rude, especially since most of the girls seemed to have struggling and uneventful love lives (with the exception of Usagi, of course).

Minako pouted and waited a moment to respond. "I don't know." She ceased in the twisting of her fingers and placed her hands behind her back while shifting her weight on to her heels. "I don't think so. We've always been friends, but…" her sentence trailed off and once again, she was in her own thoughts. The hand patting the top of her head drew her back to the arcade.

"All I have to say is: Curiosity didn't kill the cat, it made the kittens." Minako blinked hard, in evident confusion. Haruka continued, "You'll never know how something is going to turn out until you try it. Maybe this 'spark' was just a whim or a one-time thing. Then again, maybe it wasn't." She reached up to scratch her head. "I'm not as good with this sort of advice as Michiru is, but if there's anything I can help you with, you know how to reach me." With a wink and a wave, she gathered her own belongings and left the pondering blonde alone in the arcade.

Without even spending any money that day, Minako grasped her bag tightly and ran out of the building, nearly crashing into the slowly opening door. Hardly missing a beat as she took a sharp turn on the sidewalk, she didn't stop running until she was in front of her house. Why had she even asked Haruka about her love life? Her mouth had acted on its own accord, it seems. She wasn't in love, she hadn't been for years. Sure, there had been crushes here and there, not to mention several dates ending in disaster, but love was something this alleged princess never fared well in.

Her thoughts flickered back to that spark earlier in the afternoon. She wasn't sure what it had been, and for a brief moment, she tried denying that it happened at all. That was no good though, they had both seen it. Not just that, it was something she had felt. It was almost as if a wheel had been powered to life, slowly turning, trying to gain momentum. Even now, that wheel was creaking in the back of her head.

Whatever it was, it wasn't a bad thing. She knew that much. Even still, it was something she had never felt before; a new feeling. The look reflecting in Rei's eyes once the lights flickered back to life led her to believe the Aries felt the same way. Yet, neither of them mentioned it. Something in her throat refused to let anything out: Uncertainty. Was this feeling one that had been there all along? Maybe it had slowly crept up on her, only recently recognized for a brief moment. But it had been recognized, nonetheless. She wasn't sure if this emotion attempting to emerge was one she really wanted to deal with, but she couldn't help the extreme curiosity nagging at her.

She straightened her back, inhaled deeply, and slowly released the hot air. It was muggy, she noted. The rain earlier still seemed to cling to the crimsoning evening sky. Minako looked up to her own bedroom window to see a familiar cat form resting on the slightly opened sill. She smiled, and proceeded through the gate and into the humanly vacant house. She quietly padded up the wooden stairs and opened her bedroom door as discreetly as possible, trying to avoid the usual creek that accompanied the action.

Artemis wiggled a tiny pink nose and opened a lazy, unfocused eye. His partner was poised on the edge of her bed, looking at him with an expression he couldn't quite read. He lifted his head to meet her full gaze, and was about to ask what was wrong, but she spoke first.

"Hey, Artemis…Did curiosity really kill the cat?" The cat pulled his head back in absolute bafflement. Maybe he just wasn't awake yet. He pulled himself up to a typical cat-sitting position and flicked his slender tail around his paws and yawned. "Well…?" Minako pressed.

"Is this one of those English proverbs you just aren't saying correctly?" Artemis asked his human companion.

She shook her head and laughed, falling back with a light *thump* on her soft bed. Moments later, she felt the bed shift as Artemis pounced onto the mattress. She could see his long whiskers in her peripheral vision and adjusted her head under her arm to look at her furry friend. "You know what I heard?" She paused, letting the silence linger before continuing, "I heard curiosity didn't kill the cat. I heard it made the kittens."

The white cat immediately flushed bright red as he gawked at Minako's downright strange behavior. "Wh-wh-where did you pick up a saying like that?" He squeaked, almost afraid of her response. "Did you catch a cold in the rain today? You're not acting like yourself." Concern snuck onto Artemis' face, and his partner sensed it instinctively.

The blonde smiled down reassuringly at the cat. He could be strict, but he genuinely cared for her. She didn't want to worry him so she told him it was just something she had overheard and thought it was interesting.

"Well, for the record," the cat said matter-of-factly, "curiosity hasn't killed me yet." He tossed the girl a humored smirk, and both giggled at the sheer ridiculousness of their conversation.

Minako lifted herself off of the bed and snatched an oversized t-shirt she frequented to sleep in. She changed quickly, letting her school uniform crumple on the floor, with no intention of moving it for the night. Silence had again fallen on the pair, and the young teen crawled under her covers, bringing them up and tightly tucking them under her chin. Sleep shortly followed.

Darkness filled the Venusian's subconscious. Though, it was not an unsettling darkness. Not far into the dream, the void was shattered by a vaguely familiar faint glow. A candle maybe, she wasn't sure. The glow grew stronger, and soon she found herself standing before a flame. What she didn't know, was this flame that filled her dream, didn't fill her dream alone.

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><p>I like confused Minako. Or rather, I like writing confused Minako. She is someone who always seems so in charge and sure of herself, so when something catches her off guard, she really has no clue how to react. The rest of the gang will make its appearance in the next chapter. Please be patient with me! And thank you for the kind reviews, story watches and favorites! I wasn't expecting that so soon. You guys are great, and I will update as soon as possible. Until then~<p> 


	3. Chapter 3: Miscommunication

I am a little late posting this. (I meant to have it up at the beginning of the week. I'm sorry!) I went to Carowinds over the weekend, and then schoolwork at the beginning of the week had me preoccupied. I'm glad I finally got to finish this chapter up and post it. Again, thank you guys for the kind review!

Disclaimer: I own nothing besides the story concept.

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><p>Chapter 3: Miscommunication<p>

Michiru swirled her slender finger in the bubbles infesting her bath water, humming a soft tune as she did so. She closed her eyes and ducked her entire body into the tub, letting the world around her go mute. The only sound was the liquid murmuring in her ear; that was the single thing she sought. Blurry images and voices became clearer. She smiled and giggled, bubbles trickling from her forever-pink lips. She resurfaced and inhaled slowly, letting water trail its way down her porcelain skin.

"Anything interesting down there?"

She slowly opened her lids to match the other woman's gaze and then stretched her arm out. A soft white towel was handed to her almost instantly. Lifting herself from the water, it slid easily from her limbs to return to the large basin. Observant blue eyes watched her every move, and she was more than conscience of it. She let them watch her as she loosely wrapped the towel around her and sauntered over to the sink. Looking in the mirror, she glanced at the reflection behind her; the watching eyes and their owner leaning casually against the wooden door frame. Michiru smiled coyly.

"Actually," she started, "Something quite interesting."

Haruka smirked in the reflection. "Care to share it with me, or is this going to be another surprise?"

Her lover poked her lip out in a pout. "You say that as if I hide things from you all the time." She turned around and leaned against the marble counter top, crossing her arms over her chest as she did so.

The blonde laughed and stepped into the bathroom, moving closer towards the shorter woman. She reached a hand out to tuck dark, damp strands of hair behind Michiru's ear. "No, that's not what I'm saying. I know you can't tell me everything. Sometimes I just get curious about what runs through your head that the rest of us don't get see."

Michiru lifted her hand to let her fingers mingle with Haruka's. She smiled knowingly and let her eyes slide up to meet the other woman's. "I can give you a hint," she teased. Wrapping an arm around Haruka's neck, she leaned closer to her. "A fire from the past has been ignited."

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><p>Rei's small body lurched up in bed, her eyes flashing open as an array of black sheets fluttered around her. She felt cool sweat rolling down the vertebrae of her spine. Once her heart stopped pounding against her ribcage, she let her feet slide from the dark sheets to the cool, hardwood floor. She tottered to her window, pulling the curtains aside to gaze up at the night sky. A twinkling star caught her attention. Venus. Dazzling as always, she thought. Letting a sigh faintly pass through her lips, she rubbed her eyes, trying to make sense of the strange dream she just woke from.<p>

The room was small and empty, quite similar to her meditation room. There was a single fire was glowing, casting flickering shadows against the timber walls. She didn't see the other woman, but she could feel the presence of someone behind her. She heard soft footsteps slinking up. Waiting, she knew it was coming; a bright spirit, full of warmth and love. Suddenly, small hands were snaking around her waist and a warm breath was on her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.

"How long are you going to tease me, Mars?"

Lips grazed her ear, and she didn't dare move. She was surprised at the pleased smile that crept on to her own lips. "I thought you enjoyed my teasing, my goddess."

"Hmph," was the response she received, followed by light lips trailing heated kisses along her shoulder.

"It's not time yet, you know," she muttered. The kisses stopped, and she could practically feel the eyes of her goddess rolling in annoyance. The hands left her waist, and again she heard footsteps, this time receding.

"I'm tired of waiting."

She turned to face the silhouette in the doorway. "Do you think I enjoy this? My impatience is killing me, but you don't hear me whining!" She quickly clasped her hands over her mouth as the silhouette's head snapped in her direction. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, her eyes falling to the floor. "I'm just…"

Swift footsteps padded towards her, and before she could lift her head fully, arms were around her in a tight embrace. A shower of gold surrounded her. "I know," the voice in her ear was meek, "It's lonely, right?"

Rei ran her fingers through her sleek, dark hair. What the hell? Her goddess…She looked up at the waning moon, willing for some sort of answer. Something deep inside of her told her she already knew the answer. The dream was more than just her imagination toying with her. Something about it was very real and close to her, she knew it. Her hand instinctively lifted to her neck, and a blush snuck onto her cheeks as her memory flashed back to a certain part of her dream.

She clapped her hands together and shook her head. "I'm going back to bed," she mumbled to herself. Tip toing back to the haven of her sheets, she crawled back under the covers, set on sleeping for a few more hours until she absolutely had to wake up for her morning meditation.

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><p>Sunlight was leaking through limbs and leaves to paint the shrine grounds, and birds were hopping between branches singing their waking songs. Rei was sweeping and listening to the sounds of nature when she heard her name being called from the top of the steps at the temple entrance.<p>

Dark eyes lifted from the ground to be greeted by an ever energetic Usagi and Makoto. "Rei-chan! Rei cha~an! Guess what!" The blonde bounced across the space between them, closing the distance at a rapid rate. Rei simply raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her friend as she continued to sweep. "Mako-chan taught me how to bake these adorable cakes and delicious brownies, and you'll never believe it! I didn't burn them!" She reached in the large bag that was slung over her petite shoulder and pulled out a small container. "I made extra, so I brought some for you!" Smiling, Usagi held the box out to the miko, who stopped momentarily and eyed the gift with wide eyes.

"Thank you, Usagi-chan. I'm proud of you. I'm sure they made Mamoro-kun very happy, right?" She smiled at the beaming young woman in front of her, who nodded her head hard with an almost childlike giggle.

"I'll go set them inside since you're sweeping, okay?" With that, the girl skipped by her raven haired friend. Rei turned to face Makoto, who was hiding her laughter behind her hand politely.

Watching as Usagi disappeared through the doors of Rei's home, the brunette set her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Those blondes…They sure can be a handful, huh? Speaking of which, how did things go with Minako-chan yesterday? She told us you were going to help her study. She sounded pretty excited about it, but I was a little worried. She can be…well…"

A clatter was heard behind the two and they both turned to see a fallen Usagi, face first on the ground. Lifting herself up and rubbing her head, "I fell…" was all the blonde offered, as her baby blues welled up, trying to hold back tears.

"No," Rei said to Makoto, "I know exactly what you mean." Sighing, she walked over to the girl still on the ground, offering her a hand. Usagi brushed off her knee-length denim skirt and the front of her sleeveless pink hoodie, sniffling as she did so. "Clumsy…you really are a princess in need of protection. Even from steps, hm?"

Said princess put on a royal scowl at her more graceful friend before swinging her nose up in the air. "I can't help it!"

The guardian laughed lightly, placing a hand on her friend's crossed arm. "I know, I know. I didn't mean it as an insult. How about as a thank you for the treats we go shopping? If you can wait for me to change clothes real quick, that is." Usagi's scowl was replaced rather quickly with a wide smile.

"Sounds like a great idea. Think Minako-chan and Ami-chan would be interested, too?" Makoto offered, making a face as she pulled a stray leaf out of Usagi's bun that was missed in the girl's attempt to clean herself off.

"I'll call them. I'm sure they'll want to," Rei said as she made her way toward the steps leading inside. "In fact, Minako-chan was telling me about this new shop she discovered on her way over here yesterday. I'm sure she'll want us to check it out."

The three girls agreed to meet in town at the Fruits Parlor Crown, allowing enough time for Rei to change and for the others to meet them if they wished to. Ami agreed to, but only for a short while. "I still have a few chapters to finish reading before I feel comfortable with my studies for today, but I'd love to see you all. I can be there in about twenty minutes."

Rei called Minako next, who answered the phone quicker than she expected. "Would you like to go shopping? I know we didn't get to go yesterday, and I'd like to see that shop you mentioned."

The caller could hear the sudden excitement in the Venusian's voice, "I'd love to, yes! Ohhh, you're going to love it, Rei-chan, I promise! Are you about to leave now?"

Rei explained she needed a few minutes to change before heading to the parlor. Minako hung up the phone, and ran to her room, shutting the door frantically behind her. Looking at her reflection, she quickly noted that her current attire would not impress the darker haired girl. "She's so classy. I feel like I look a lot younger standing next to her," the blonde mumbled to herself.

Rummaging through the various outfits in her overstuffed closet, she finally settled on a sky blue button up shirt-dress and simple white sandals. Doing a quick twirl and adjusting her hair one last time, she grabbed her purse, yelled a "goodbye" to Artemis, and made her way to the parlor with an extra bounce in her step. She had a hard time controlling the happiness that was boiling in her chest. She slowed in her pace for a moment, wondering if Rei was nearly as excited as she was.

"I wonder," she mused to herself, bringing her hand to rest slightly on her cheek, "why this feels like a…a date." She shook her head to dispel the thought. Not a date. No, definitely not. Shopping spree, yes. She was going to take Rei to the new store and they were going to spend their parents' money on new accessories and, oh, she definitely needed new shoes for fall, which was right around the corner.

A faint smell tugged her to a halt altogether and she looked around trying to place it. "So familiar. Like…like lilies." Her attention was caught by a small flower booth with an older man standing behind it, tying assorted stems together in bright, colorful, and beautiful arrangements. Minako watched hazily for a good minute before the elderly man even noticed her. His aged eyes met hers and she wildly waved her hands and apologized for staring, backing up to quickly leave.

Lilies and wood smoke; she couldn't get the odd smell combination out of her head. An image drifted in, like a forgotten dream. However, her name being called kept her from grasping hold of the flitting dream.

"Met you halfway, it seems," Rei chirped with faint smile and cock of her head, her hair clinging to the wind as it played around her slender neck and face. There it was again, the scent of lilies and slight wood smoke. Minako took a few steps towards her friend, who watched her with a blatant look of curiosity.

"Rei-chan," Minako tilted her head slightly, looking at the Arian rather closely, causing an uncomfortable blush to paint the girl's face. "You smell like flowers, you know?"

"Wh-what? Don't say such strange things!" Rei's shoulders stiffened and she nearly fell backwards. She was confused by the look on Minako's face. It wasn't one she was used to, almost dejected. She regrouped her nerves and straightened her back again, taking a confident step towards the blonde. "It's probably just my shampoo." She twirled a fragment of her hair around a nimble digit, bringing it up close to Minako's nose. A shiver went down her spine when the girl lightly grabbed her wrist, pushing her hand down and pulling her entire frame closer simultaneously.

Minako closed her eyes and inhaled. "Mm. No, it's definitely you."

A blush flared across Rei's face once more. She wasn't even sure how to respond to the words or the close proximity of this young woman in front of her. She was taken back to the strange dream she had the night before. She pulled back and clutched the hem of her short red dress to keep her hands from fidgeting. "Am I holding you back from something, Minako-chan?"

A befuddled expression crossed the questioned girls face. She hadn't the slightest idea as to what Rei was talking about out of the blue like that, as it didn't seem relevant to the discussion of her shampoo or anything. "No. Why would you ask that?"

The Martian clenched her hem even tighter, her knuckles faintly draining of their color. "It's just, I had this dream last night. I had a feeling it was in reference to you, but it was kind of unclear."

Minako blinked a few times, not wanting to push Rei to talk about something she wasn't comfortable with, and she was definitely uncomfortable right now. She knew her friend well enough to know that if she wanted to share information, she would. Pressing her wouldn't do any good. So she had learned to wait. However, her waiting period was interrupted by another familiar voice.

"I didn't expect to meet the both of you on the way to the parlor!"

The two teens turned to face Ami. Rei laughed nervously. "Oh, we were just on our way to meet the others. We ran into each other just moments ago as well."

"Others?" Minako asked, evidently confused.

Rei and Ami both just looked at her silently, neither knowing why their companion looked so flustered. Ami looked between the two of them, feeling as if she was intruding on something she shouldn't be. Rei simply put both hands on her hips and shifted her weight to her right foot. "Yeah, we're all going shopping. You wanted to take us to that new store, right?"

For whatever reason, the casual, almost condescending tone in Rei's voice irritated Minako. She quickly crossed her arms and gave the girl a cold glare. "I wanted to take YOU to that new store, Rei-chan."

The miko picked up on the slight tint of possession in the obviously upset girl's words. Though, she wasn't sure why Minako was upset. The five of them had always gone shopping together. Occasionally they would break off in their own smaller groups, but it was never intrusive if any of the others joined. They were all a team. She was about to tell the fired up Venusian just that, until she met her glare and noticed how hurt Minako really looked. While her face was pulled down in a dramatic frown, and her brows were furrowed, her eyes told a different story. Her stomach dropped. She hadn't meant to upset the blonde.

"I'm sorry, Minako-chan. I just thought-"

"Whatever," Minako cut Rei off. "It's no big deal, let's go meet the others. I'm sure they'll like it too!" Too quickly, a smile replaced the frown. Even still, Rei could tell it wasn't genuine; it didn't reach her eyes in the manner her smiles usually did.

The girls started walking towards the meeting place, Ami and Minako chattering away. Rei wasn't paying much attention. Her thoughts were still on why Minako would be so upset with her over something she perceived to be trivial. She kept stealing glances at the bubbly girl's face, disliking the disappointment that still seemed to be straining her smile.

They were about to enter the parlor, Ami leading the way. Minako had caught the door to follow, but a soft hand grabbing her own stopped her, and the door swung shut. She quickly turned on her heels to catch sight of darks eyes looking intensely in to her own.

"Forgive me, Minako-chan," Rei blurted. "I didn't know that it meant so much to you that just the two of us go shopping. I just thought that it would be more fun if all of us went. I wasn't thinking." Her eyes fell to the rough floor. A hand cupped her cheek to raise her head, and the soft smile on Minako's lips let her know she had already been forgiven.

"No, I shouldn't have gotten to upset." Minako chuckled, more to herself it seemed. "I was being selfish." She tightened her grip on the hand still holding hers, inwardly chastising herself for her poor display in front of Rei.

The darker haired girl was having a similar train of thought. She knew that she and Minako bickered quite a bit, but it had always been teasingly. Never had she done anything to hurt or upset her. The look in those blue eyes, however, congratulated her on failing in that. She didn't like it one bit. Minako wasn't being selfish like she said she was; she wanted to take Rei to the shop to make her happy. And in all honesty, just the two of them is what she wanted. Somewhere in the back of her head though, she wasn't sure if Minako had wanted the same thing.

The two girls had a stronger bond than the other girls, she felt. For what reason, she wasn't even sure herself. She had spent quite a bit of time pondering about it before. They were both leaders; Venus being first in command among the four inner guardians, and Mars being second. They had an understanding from lives passed what their duty was, and that understanding surely formed a bond between the two. She cherished that bond more than any other Earthly bond she had.

A tug on her hand jerked her from her thoughts. Minako was opening the door and pulling her through. "Come on, let's split a smoothie and then I'll take you guys to the shop. You're going to love it! The clothes are hip, but classy, like you. And you'll like the jewelry. It's not my style, but it's stuff you'll think is pretty."

Rei squeezed Minako's hand, vying for the girl's attention. When she received the blue eyed glance, she smiled brightly. "Thank you, Mina-chan."

The girls hopped over to the table where the others were waiting with half consumed smoothies and milkshakes, Usagi was vocally debating whether or not to order a plate of fries. The all laughed and talked amongst themselves and were discussing other shopping points of interest; all the while, two hands were still tightly intertwined under the table.

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><p>Well, that wraps up this chapter. Sorry the beginning of it was rather slow. I think I stopped at a good spot though. I wrote it over the course of a few days, so I'm terribly sorry if my tenses switches a little or if it's a little all over the place :( Next chapter, the girls go shopping! Oh, and the dream? Yeah, I'm not done with it yet. Adieu! Avant la prochaine fois!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4: Martian Ephiphany

Holy cow. This is way overdue, and I'm sorry for the ridiculous delay! I have an excuse though! In short, my mom had surgery (and I had to parent-sit for a week), I've had midterms, a baby shower to throw, two birthday parties, AND I was sick for a week. Okay, done whining, I'll start writing.

Disclaimer: The idea is mine, the characters are not.

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><p>Chapter 4: Dressing Room Disasters<p>

"I think I need a new skirt. Something a bit longer, knee length maybe."

"Don't you think you own enough skirts?"

"But they're just so cute!"

The two blondes bickered ahead of the others, who attempted to act like they were not associated with their friends who were drawing quite a bit of attention. Ami blushed notably as Makoto shook her head in exasperation. Rei was a ticking time bomb, rather close to exploding and letting her companions know how distracting they were being.

"Rei-chan, you understand, right?" Minako spun sharply on her heals to face her furious friend, obviously oblivious to the twitching of her eye and clenched jaw. "A girl should have a versatile wardrobe!"

"Minako…" The said girl turned to Rei, finally picking up on her agitation. "Could you two quiet down? You're being loud, and it's rude. People are staring."

Bright blue eyes blinked before turning to face their princess. "Usagi-chan, maybe you're right. Another skirt would suit you." Minako turned to catch up with Usagi, tossing a quick glance in Rei's direction to make sure the Aries wasn't on the verge of blowing a gasket. When she saw the chest of her friend fall with a sigh, she giggled and quickened her pace to match that of her long haired friend.

Makoto and Ami exchanged glances with each other. Both were surprised at Rei's lack of outburst. She was generally the first to reprimand the loud Minako and Usagi. The tallest member couldn't help but wonder if Rei was going soft. Or maybe it was just a fluke. Either way, she wasn't going to complain. Friction has the tendency to run high amongst a group of five young women, especially when all of them have varying personalities.

The quietest young woman of the group had been gaining curiosity as well. Observant and a closet romantic, Ami had noticed for quite some time the growing closeness between the wannabe idol and miko. Did girl friends touch as frequently as those two do? Minako was certainly a flirt, but she always paid special attention to her fiery partner. And Rei's whole demeanor changed around the blonde. In fact, the few times Ami ever witnessed Rei blushing, they were nearly always when the Venusian was involved.

Rei watched as Usagi and Minako caught up on school gossip a few paces ahead of her. Minako was so animated, flailing her hands around and contorting her facial expressions every time she began imitating someone new. She seemed to be perfectly fine with the group outing now that they were all together. Relieved, and with the worry set aside for the moment, she finally realized the other two were being silent. She shot a glance over her shoulder, spotting the tall brunette and shorter, quiet Ami. Both were looking at her with odd expressions, and she simply raised an eyebrow without asking a question. A blush simultaneously shot across two sets of cheeks, caught off guard.

Before she could question them, Minako jolted them all to a stop with a quick shout. "Oh! This is it, guys! C'mon!" Tottering over to Rei, she grabbed the startled girl's wrist and dragged her towards the double doors, swinging them open as the others followed.

Minako had been right about one thing for sure, it was Rei's type of shop. The music was low and slow tempo. Lights were dim and mannequins were decked with feminine dresses and posh tops and bottoms. The jewelry wasn't flashing and blinding, but subtle and simple.

The girls browsed the shop, quickly filling the peaceful building with soft whispers and giggles as they sifted through outfits and held tops and skirts up to each other wondering what would look best on themselves and each other. A store employee kindly asked the girls if they wished to start dressing rooms. All nodded their heads enthusiastically, each girl already with a pile of clothes tossed over her arm.

Ami was gingerly fingering lengths of pearls, Makoto and Usagi were filing through a long rack of skirts, and Rei and Minako already wanted to try on their first armful of clothes.

After a few minutes of contorting slender arms in various ways, Rei realized she was unable to zip up the back of the dress she was trying on. "Um, Minako-chan, can you help me for a second?" She called, poking her head out of the changing room.

The blonde set down the two shirts she was debating between and stepped in to the small room with her friend. Rei turned her back to here, pointing to the stubborn zipper. She had managed to get it halfway up her spine before it started giving her troubles.

She felt Minako's hand on her lower back, gripping the fabric and zipper, and let her violet eyes drift to their reflection in the mirror. They trailed from where the hand was on her back, up soft skinned arms, brushed over shoulders, up a slim neck, passed bubble gum tinted lips, and finally settled on sea blue eyes that were focused on her back.

"There! You're good to go. And wow, that dress looks amazing on you Rei-chan." A blush crept on to her cheeks and she averted her eyes from the reflection.

Minako checked out her friend in the mirror, taking note of the reddening cheeks and downcast eyes. The corner of her mouth tugged up in a slight smirk and she leaned close to Rei's ear. "You really should look at yourself instead of your feet." Her eyes stayed steady on the Martian, as dark orbs shot up to meet hers in the mirror.

Rei finally took her eyes from her companion's and actually studied her reflection as suggested. Minako was right; the dress did look good on her. The crimson fabric was off the shoulder, showing off the creamy, flawless span of her neck and shoulders. It was form fitting over her chest and stomach, emphasizing her good figure as it hugged her waist and thighs, cutting off right above her knees.

A sense of familiarity began tugging at her stomach and she tried to suppress it, not wanting to acknowledge the images that were dancing at the edge of her thoughts. Frankly, she wanted to let the visions go wild in her head. What she did not want, however, was to deal with the thoughts afterwards. She knew once she let those thoughts and feelings in, they would want to stay. She had obligations though, so such things wouldn't be allowed. She simply wouldn't have it. Rei allowed herself a slight sigh, which didn't go unnoticed by the other in the small room with her.

"Rei-chan, are you okay? You've been sighing a lot lately, and I don't think it's out of frustration with Usagi-chan and me." Minako's voice dragged Rei out of her thoughts, which was probably a good thing, she figured.

"Yeah, I've just had a lot on my mind lately." Rei shot her worried looking friend a smile. "Don't worry, nothing's wrong."

Minako pouted, indicating she knew otherwise. She wasn't sure who Rei thought she was fooling, but the Venusian was not buying it. "If you say so," she mumbled. A moment of silence wavered between the two before Minako spoke again. "That reminds me, you were saying something about a dream earlier. What was that about?"

The simple inquiry caught Rei off guard. She wasn't expecting it, and had completely forgotten she even mentioned the dream. She felt the fading blush flaring back up as she tried to keep her expression even. "Oh, yeah, about that…it wasn't anything, really. Just a snippet from out past lives, I think."

The blonde chewed on her bottom lip as she studied the back of Rei's neck. "Well, what happened in it?" She watched the girl's back stiffen a fraction.

Rei paused before answering, not wanting to reveal too much. While she wasn't positive the dream had been about the two of them, she was pretty darn sure it had been. "You were upset. Or rather, you were impatiently waiting for something. I don't know what for though. That's really all that it was about." She shifted her body so she could see Minako in the mirror, who seemed to be mulling over something.

"I had a weird dream last night, too!" The bubbly girl chirped.

"Really? What kind of weird?" Rei asked, and then added, "Could you unzip me while you're at it? I think I'm getting this."

Minako nodded her head and placed one hand on Rei's shoulder blade as the other grasped the zipper. "Well, I can't say for sure. You were there, I think." She raised an eyebrow, waiting to see if Rei would shift in her demeanor. When her friend didn't, she continued. "There was a little bit of thiiiii~iis and some of thaaa~aaat." She giggled when Rei jerked her head to the side. "Don't move, or the dress will tear. I'm almost done." She couldn't help but break out in a grin as she saw a blush evident on Rei's neck and ears.

Once the dress was unzipped, the raven haired beauty whipped around sporting a rare pout. If daggers could shoot from her eyes, Minako would have been dead on the spot. "What does that even mean? A little bit of what, Minako-chan? Are you trying to tease me?"

The blonde leaned forward, trapping the other girl between her body and the mirrored wall. "Oh, Rei-chan, I'm not trying to tease you. I'm totally succeeding." A playful smirk graced her face as she fully enjoyed toying with her friend. She couldn't help herself; it really was just too much fun for her.

A knock on the door distracted both girls from each other. "Hey, you guys done in there?" Usagi's voice called from the other side of the door.

"J-j-just a minute, Usagi-chan!" Rei responded. She hoped that neither Minako nor Usagi picked up on the unusual shakiness in her voice. A quick cocked head and raised eyebrow from the blonde in front of her told her otherwise.

Minako hopped away from Rei, tossing her an unreadable glance as she cracked the door and slipped out. Rei could hear her outside of the door telling Usagi that she was almost done changing. Their princess was having trouble deciding between two outfits, Rei gathered from the conversation. Slowly, she let the dress fall from her shoulders and proceeded, almost mechanically, to change back into the clothes she came in.

The girls continued their shopping spree, stopping in various shops and boutiques, collecting more bags as they walked the streets of Tokyo. As the day drew to an end, the group of friends decided it was time to head separate ways. Ami had agreed to help Makoto clean up and rearrange furniture in her apartment. Usagi, who lived on the same side of town as them, parted with the duo. Minako and Rei walked for a while in silence before parting ways themselves.

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><p>As Rei emptied her bags of clothes onto her bed, arranging them to wash the next day, she came across the first dress she had bought that day. Gingerly, she ran her fingers over the fabric, then lifted it against her slender frame and glanced at her reflection in the mirror hanging by her door. She ran her hand over her figure and an image flashed behind her eyes.<p>

The corners of her mouth tugged down slightly. What was going on with her? Never had she let something so trivial occupy her mind so freely. She flopped down on her bed among the clothes and stared long and hard at the ceiling. When did these emotions start dancing around in her chest and stomach? It was the other night, during the storm. Or was it before that? She tried thinking back.

In junior high when Rei first met Minako, she had been curious. This energetic girl, whose beauty was unmatched, snagged everyone's attention, without even trying. She was loud and immature, always saying unnecessary things. But she was also kind, and righteous in her own way. As their friendship grew, something else did as well.

She made a point to ignore it, initially. Their mission was much more important, and Rei made no time for love or lust, or any frivolous emotions for that matter. She had grown content just being around Minako. However, after the battle with Galaxia, things had been peaceful, and it seemed that the girls could move on to focus on their personal lives.

Rei rolled over onto her stomach and clutched her pillow, trying to organize her thoughts and emotions was tougher than she thought. She hadn't needed to do this in years. "Okay," the miko mumbled to herself. "The facts. I need to distinguish the facts." She rolled onto her back, still clinging to the pillow.

"I like Minako-chan. But we're just friends." She felt heat rush in her chest and cheeks. "Not just that, we're both girls. Not that I think the others would mind…" A sigh slipped through her lips. No, surely the other girls wouldn't mind. The big question was what Minako would think if she told her.

She lifted her fingers to her neck, recalling the vivid dream she had the previous night. While it was obvious to Rei what the dream meant, she wasn't sure if she should tell Minako or not. While the blonde was known to give her affection and attention to anyone and everyone she found worthy of such, Rei was uncertain if the girl would take her feelings seriously.

With a heavy exhale, Rei lifted herself from the bed and grabbed armfuls of clothes to fold them over an armchair to deal with the next day. She ran her fingers through her silky hair and decided on calling it an early night. Changing into pajamas and slinking under the covers, her thoughts shifted into similar dreams as she assumed they would. In control of her own conscience, she had a few things she wanted to learn from the visions demanding her attention.

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><p>She could feel it; the darkness taking over as her relaxed body sank into a sleep. Slowly, a familiar scene began to form in front of her. She felt cool, smooth wood underneath her bare feet. There was no fire tonight, the moonlight compensated for the lack of light. She turned to the doorway, already knowing what to expect.<p>

A silver silhouette illuminated sun streaked hair. Rei waited for the woman to make the first move. And of course she did, stepping in the doorway cautiously, their eyes locked on one another's.

"Mars," the woman spoke, irritation soaking her tone.

"Yes?" Rei answered simply and nonchalantly.

Eyebrows furrowed at her as the other body in the room moved a few steps closer. "I'm tired of this, Mars. How long do you plan to make our souls suffer?"

A tightness knotted in Rei's chest as she attempted to keep her cool composure and come up with a convincing response. Where was this place anyway? And what did this woman mean by making their souls suffer? Her soul was perfectly fine!

Her attention flickered back to the person in front of her. The defeated expression she wore corrected Rei. No, her soul was not perfectly fine. That expression hurt her deeply in a place she didn't know existed. She took a step towards the disheartened woman and instinctively her hand lifted a fraction, wanting to touch her.

"I'm sorry," was all she was capable of mumbling, letting her hand fall back to her side. So much for the convincing response she wanted.

"You know I'm not angry. I'm just frustrated. We have to meet here, in the dead of their slumber. It's ridiculous. I've been starting to drop hints, you know. Minako is not as dense as she plays. I believe she is beginning to understand."

This caught Rei's attention, and she couldn't stop her head from snapping up. "Oh?" So she had been right. The dream and bodies were manifestations of their souls. However, she didn't want to tell this Venusian goddess in front of her that she was in fact, Rei. She and Mars were momentarily one in the same, and it seemed to her that Venus wanted the same thing for herself and Minkao. She could see the goddess was craving that. She couldn't bring herself to tell the woman that she herself had attained it already.

"How is your Rei doing? I think she will realize things sooner. She is rather psychic, as you are." The goddess' lips curved up into a slight, yet tender smile.

"She is…starting to realize these things. I think she knows, but…but she's worried."

Blonde eyebrows knitted. "Worried? About what exactly?"

Rei clasped her hands in front of her and her fingers began twisting around each other. "Well, she knows how she feels, but she's scared her feelings won't be reciprocated…I believe."

There was a moment of silence before it was cut with an airy laughter. "How cute! And ridiculous, as well."

Rei shot the goddess an inquisitive glance. "I think it's understandable, Venus," she retorted, quite offended that the goddess called her concerns ridiculous.

"Oh, yes. It is understandable. However," Venus stepped towards the young woman and let the back of her hand brush against Rei's cheek. "One cannot deny a love that stretches across the ages."

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><p>The dark haired girl shot up in bed, eyes wide and jaw slightly dropped. Her hand flew to her chest, as if to calm her pounding heart. The organ seemed to be in overdrive, refusing to slow down. Her thoughts raced as she started putting pieces of the puzzle into place.<p>

For starters, her dream before had been more than just a dream; she had witnessed a meeting of souls. Second, those souls were her own and Minako's. Third, it would seem they were destined for each other, and their reincarnated souls were getting tired of waiting for the two girls to figure it out on their own. That would explain the racing pulse and quick blushes that seemed to be torturing her lately.

The only question Rei had left: Were the pulse and blushes a result of Mars and Venus attempting to reunite in the present, or was it a result of her, Hino Rei's own budding love for her ungodly beautiful friend?

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><p>Okay. There! Oh, and for anyone curious to the dream scenarios, I sort of depict them as a mix between astral projection and lucid dreaming. (Google the terms if you haven't the slightest idea as to what I'm talking about, it'll make more sense.) Anyway, thank you all for your patience and kind reviews. I promise the next update will not be so far away again. ::cries::<p> 


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